"Mens sana in corpore sano" goes the famous saying, as the human body often functions as a single entity, with its mind only as healthy as the rest of it.
This is also the philosophy behind naturopathy, an alternative medical practice that aims to address health problems naturally by focusing on the body's ability to self-heal.
It was precisely this aspect that fascinated Deborah Giuliano, who, after years spent in finance and accounting, decided to follow her true passion and deepen her knowledge of naturopathy at university.
In 2016 she began practicing professionally, but when Covid hit she was forced to leave her workspace and practise from her own home in Essendon.
"Now I work close to my loved ones and my animals,” said Giuliano.
“Since 2019 I've been practicing here and it’s been great because I'm able to organise my daily routines, including my studies, in the best possible way.
“Initially it wasn't easy to go back to the books, but when you do it for something you're passionate about, it's not difficult.
“I am very grateful to my husband Paolo as he’s always encouraged me so much and has always been an enormous support."
Giuliano revealed that she is now taking her education further, deciding to study clinical nutrition.
This holistic approach is one of the main characteristics of naturopathy.
"When a client contacts me, we arrange an informational meeting so that, in addition to the present problem, we can learn about the patient's lifestyle, daily eating and physical habits," the naturopath explained.
“I then use all this information to create a plan.
Finally, I discuss it with the client and we decide together which goals to pursue."
Treatments are supplemented with herbs or with targeted vitamin and mineral supplements.
Giuliano sometimes includes iridology in her appointments.
Iridology is the technique by which certain information about a patient's health can be determined through the study of their iris.
Giuliano observes its colours, discrepancies and characteristics more generally.
"Through these observations one can also sometimes understand people's genetic history, for example, whether there is a history of particular diseases in one's family," she explained.
Over the years, the naturopath has treated a wide range of maladies such as anxiety, stress, fertility, menopause, asthma, depression, allergies, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, menopause, senile dementia and cholesterol.
To learn more about her services, one can visit her website.
"With my clients I always do an initial analysis, then we try a treatment and keep them monitored,” she said.
“But if there is no improvement, I always recommend a medical consultation.
“Naturopathy is fascinating, but science gives us such precise data that it would be unwise to ignore it; naturopathy and science must balance each other, not exclude each other.
"My main intention is to help people improve their lifestyle in a holistic way, taking into account their habits and preferences, so that they can feel better about themselves.”
